Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-11-12
A MAYNARD son.
Three Happy People on a Certain
Thanksgiving Day.

Every Christmas, or New Years, or
Thanksgiving day, Mrs. Forrest placed
II chair at the table for their only son
and child, David, who had left his
home fifteen years before, at the age
of nineteen. Since he left, no word
from him had reached them. The
faithful heart of the mother refused to
think of the lad as dead, and so she
laid his plate at his old place. and by
it placed Il little bouquet of his fayorite
flowers.
You see, he may come back at any
time, father, and then he'd understand
that we've been thinking of him all the
time
The old man shook his head. BOYS
like David don't come back, Sarah.
Vice drove him away, and vice will
probably keep him away. If it's any
qualification for you to keep Il place at
the table for him, you know that |
don't object; but ! wish You could
make up your mind that he will never
come back. These yearly reminders
only bring the old pain back, and if |
could, | should like to forget him alto
gcthcr.'
"No, YOU wouldn't, James. He was
wild and disohcdicnt, and brought
shame and sorrow over this threshold;
but for all that, he's our only child,
and I'm sure We can neither of us for
get hat.'
1t WAS just fifteen years since the
young man came home one night in a
beastly state of intoXication. 1t was
not the first time, but it was the first
time his father had seen him in that
condition. He was Il clerk in a dry
goods store. and when he came home
late at night, his father supposed he
had been detained by his business, and
went contcntcdly to bed. The pool
wife, who sat up for the hayward boy,
knew better; but like many a gentle
but unwisc mother, she concealed hel
sons vice from his father, hoping he
might reform. Her husband was ;
very stern man, and was unsparing il
his denunciations of the special vice o
intempcrance. The truth is, she wa.
actually afraid to tell him.
The night | have spoken of, Mr.. For
rest had Il letter TO write, which KEEP
him in the sitting room long after hi,
usual bedtime. When the soldering
idiotic young drunkard reeled into tn,
room, his father sprung from his chat
as if he had been shot. He looked Il
his son, but did not say a word. Thel
he sat deliberately down in a chair anC
watched him, with such a look on hi
white, set face that his terrified wifi,
laid her trembling hand on his arm
He shook it off. In a few moments h,
turned to her, and said, in a hard
merciless voice:
''How long has this been going on
Sarah?n
"Oh, ] don't know, james," sh,
sobbed. ave secn him two or tire,
times under the influence of liquor, bu
never so bad as this, James. didn'
tell You, because he promised to re
form. Oh; don't be too hard on him
father! Pray, don't be too hard upol
him!h
"Too hard!" he repeated, lookin.
with angry disgust at the young man
who was huddled in heap in n larg'
armchair, trying vainly to sit erect
with a silly, drunken grin on his face
"Too hard! Why, if turned him on
of the house this very night, and dis
owned him rs my son, | should be do
ing right. And you have kept thi
from me? How could you, how dar,
you, do it. and thus become rcsponsi
BILE for this disgrace? l might hav,
checked it. Now it's too late. Loo
at that idiotic face; the stamp of tn
drunkard who is past recovery upon it
It's too late!'
''Oh, don't, don't, James!' his wifi
cried, kneeling beside him. 81 did i
for the best. Don't say it's too late
He's but II little more than n child YET
and bad company has led him astray.
The drunken boy laugh Vi idiotically
''G'long calm me chill 8, ole CONAN
Bcs' poker player in town! Los te
dollars. Ole Rapp's money though
Took it out till. Gov'nor looks mad
WhatermatterP"
''Oh, hush! hush! hish!" the dis
tracted mother said, taking him by tn
hand. 'Come to bed, David! Oh, d
comet" The drunken boy pushed he
aside.
.'Gov'nor mad!' he muttered
"Won't be suited! Gimme satisfac
ton Of gentleman. Ten PAGES, pis
tolls" and as he maundered on, hi
head sank on the table before him, an
he slept heavily.
Don't try and get him away" MI
Forrest said, stsrnly. ''He shall sta